Masquerades are too cliche any way
by speckledgit
Summary: Hermione goes nuts and George is very amuse. Twin Exchange October Challenge. Prompt: Masquerade, quote: One more for luck, Pair: George W./Hermione G.  Due: To the overnight & lovely response to this story; I will be continuing it.


Hogsmeade at Halloween time, not nearly as grand as Hogwarts, but just as warm. There are pumpkins afloat with magic, black cats running through the streets, and Hogwart's students bustling about in search for the perfect masquerade costumes. The dance was tonight and every girl from every house was elated with the potential of masked romance. Well, almost every girl, but Hermione Granger.

She sat in the Three Broomsticks with Harry and Ron. She was hardly in a tolerable mood considering the fact that Ron had learned nothing from the Yule Ball fiasco.

"Ronald you can't just expect that I would go with you," she scolded him, déjà-vu.

"But, Mione…I need a date," he whined at her, he was very unattractive when he whined.

"Ronald, you never learn," she said, losing her patience.

"What's that suppose to mean? We could go as Gryffindor royalty. I could be the King and you can be the queen," he tried so very hard to smooth everything over.

Oh that did it. Harry didn't know whether to run for cover or stay and watch the explosion. No one told Hermione Granger what she could do. Ron was too oblivious to notice Hermione come to a boiling point.

"That's it Ronald. I would rather get a troll on a NEWT than go to the ball with you," Harry was quite surprised at this proclamation, but Ron was quick to reply.

"Maybe you SHOULD go alone. You could dress up as a…."

George Weasley stood behind the register of the Hogsmeade Branch of the Weasley Wizarding Weezes. Verity had been running the store for some time, just simple set up stuff until the twins could get a stable staff at the Diagon branch. Halloween was his second favorite time of year, next to their birthday, of course. It was the one time of the year that tom-foolery, trickery, and playful wickedness were nothing out of the ordinary. They had created a whole line of "Halloween more TRICK-Than-Treat Charms". They had thought of it all, everything from Insta-Costumes to the portable ghouls.

The great aspect of this building was its convenient location across from The Three Broomsticks. The lull in customers had finally given the twins a chance to breathe. Fred thought it pertinent to "review orders in the back room with Verity".

_Review orders my arse, but I'll let it go. He deserves some fun._

How did George spend his well deserved break? Spying on little Ickle Ronnykin, duh. The legendary Golden Trio sat at the table in front of the main window of the Three Broomstick. The position was prime for his optimal viewing pleasure. The scene across the street from the joke shop consisted of Ron laughing (probably at his own pathetic joke), Hermione looking like her head was going to pop off from her rage, and harry looking awkward sitting between his two explosive friends.

_I swear, that boy could face the Dark Lord and all the evils of the world, but has no bullocks when it comes to a confrontation between his best friends. _

Oops, boiling point. Ron had said something idiotic and Hermione slammed her hands down on the table, causing her chair to fall over. George couldn't exactly hear what she was saying, but it was obvious that Ron had gone too far. She exited the pub huffily, but not before waving her wand in his direction. Ron was now being attack by a hoard of spiders.She stomped across the snow covered road, bumping into several Slytherins. They never even had a chance to confront her about it, with a quick swish of her wand they were just a group of floating pumpkins. The charm would wear off….eventually. He watched her as she bee-lined for his shop.

George chuckled and cast an invisibility charm on himself. This would be fun. The little bell over the door rang as Hermione stepped over the threshold. Surprisingly, she didn't look as nervous as he thought the little book worm would be in his shop. In fact, she looked very familiar with the shop.

"Verity? Are you here?"

He heard her small voice call out in the dusty silence of their surroundings.

"Verity, I came to pick up that order from last week," she called out again

This statement had sent George's head reeling.

_She orders from our shop? Fascinating. _

George decided to answer her.

"She's a bit pre-occupied at the moment," his said.

She jumped almost a foot in the air at the voice that seemed to come from nowhere.

"Who was that, show yourself. I will hex you," she stammered out.

"You're going to hex me, really? You're going to hex someone you can't see," He teased.

She didn't even bother answering, knowing that she would only say something foolish. She closed her eyes. He knew what she was trying to do. He walked around her, nope, she didn't even notice. He stood behind her and bent down to whisper in her ear.

"You know trying to listen for my movement won't help. I'm a master and making no noise. I have years of experience," he mused, laughing at her jumpiness, and continued, "So what'd you come in for?"

"I'm not talking to someone I can't see," she huffed.

"Actually, you already are," he teased.

She suddenly got a look of realization on her face.

"I know that voice! George, stop it. I can't take anymore foolish gingers today," she huffed in exasperation.

He removed his invisibility charm.

"You know, most people can't tell the difference between Fred and I even when we're visible. Could it be 'cause you like me. I think it's because you like me. Don't deny it. So, what can I do for you today?" He asked, his voice oozing with charm.

"Nothing! I came to see Verity, she has something for me," she defended, obviously hiding something.

"Like I said, she's busy, can I fetch it for you," he said with perfectly fake innocence.

He knew by her silence that she was guilty and he venture to guess that she wasn't as much of a book worm as she lead on. Her silence continued.

"Do you need some love potions or some other pleasurable devices," he built his innuendoes.

She blushed.

"Cut it out, I don't need those kinds of products," she seethed, it was very…..Slytherin-esque.

"I can't do that, you see, I know the target of your out of character pranking. I can't, in good conscience sell you those charmed products. As much of a git as Ron can be, he's still family," he said, mimicking a tone his mother might have used.

George really had no problem with her obliterating Ronald, but it was simply too much fun to ruffle her feathers. She tried to argue, but was cut off by the talkative red head.

"No, I still have some of those left over from las-"she cut herself short as she realized her mistake.

"Hmmm, whoops did you let that slip," he said slyly, she tried to interrupt, but he shushed her and continued, "No bother, what are you looking for?"

She looked down in embarrassment and muttered something.

"What was that, I didn't quite catch it," he laughed as she squirmed.

"I need one of your magical masquerade masks," she stammered out.

"I know you do, I just wanted to make you say it. You and every other girl in Hogwarts wants one," he drawled on.

He grabbed her hand and led her over to a mirror. He picked up several masks off of the shelf. He put the first one on her face and she suddenly she had a light blue ball gown on. It was quite exquisite. George thought she looked rather stunning, she thought less so.

"Great, I look like Cinderella. Are you my Fairy Godmother?"

"Cinder-who? Are you insinuating that I'm gay? Because, I can assure you that I fancy women. Would you like a demonstration?" He exclaimed, wiggling his eyebrows.

She gave him a very cross look at his highly inappropriate behavior.

"I'm going to take that as a yes. You know what they say, omission is admission," he spoke with confidence.

He reached for another mask, but she quickly slipped away from him.

"I want a red one," she stated, no longer embarrassed.

He shot her a smug look before finding her a red one. She placed it on her face, instantly her hair was perfectly curled, and she was dressed in a perfect silhouette dress. To put it simply she looked divine.

She'd barely even registered that he was grinning before he pulled her close and kissed her. It didn't take her long to melt into the kiss. The pulled apart slowly.

"I, uh, one more for luck?" She asked sheepishly and pulled him back into a quick kiss. She looked at him for a bit, but decided she needed to ask a question.

"Why did you kiss me?"

"Why do you shop at Weasley Wizarding Weezes?"

"I asked you first," she said, not wanting him to get away with his charm.

"My answer depends on yours," he answered.

After a moment of contemplation she caved.

"I enjoy your work….and you," she said with a slight blush.

"You surprise me and I wanted to see how many more surprises you have," He said with a smile.

These answers seemed satisfactory to both parties.

"Why exactly did you set a gang of spiders on my brother?" He asked, as sneakily as possible.

She was now blushing fully, "He said I should 'go to the party as a muggle interpretation of a witch', that I 'certainly had the hair for it'," she seemed to light up with anger at just the thought.

He chuckled lightly.

"And turning the slytherins into pumpkins?"

Hermione was now beet red and speechless.

"Do you have any more surprises you want to tell me about?"

George was absolutely beaming by now, and Hermione was only thinking of ways to shut his smug face up. One had only popped into her head before she took to action.

Kissing George was now a proven method of shutting George up.

They must have been there between the shelves of Weasley Wizarding Weezes for awhile, long enough for Fred and Verity to find them.

"Ahem!" Fred cleared his throat.

George and Hermione must have jumped at least three feet apart, both blushing. Fred and Verity just smiled at them.

"Hermione, I see you already found a mask. You are also quite late for the ball," said Verity, acting as if she hadn't caught her boss and her friend snogging.

"Yeah, well I should probably go then," Hermione stated.

"No, you should join us at the three broomsticks," George said quickly.

"That is, if you two are done snogging. We don't want to be rude," Fred suggested, with fake innocence.

"I think we can wait to resume snogging at a later hour. As for the ball, I think that it's a bit too cliché for me any way," Hermione smiled, she liked being accepted and she did truly like George. George smirked at her reply.

The four of them walked over to the pub, stopping halfway there to stare at Professor Snape. He was ranting like a mad man about floating pumpkins getting caught in his cape. Hermione blushed while George chuckled. Fred and Verity were very confused, the fact that one of the pumpkinS had a pug-like face and another had a pointy nose and chin further added to their confusion.


End file.
